I was there last summer with my 13 year old. It was his favorite stop on our trip.

You might check out Row Venice. They teach you to actually row.

http://rowvenice.org

We ate at Venissa on Mazzorbo for ds' birthday. It was lovely. You can get to Mazzorbo by walking from Burano, if you are interested in seeing the bright houses or lacemaking on Burano.

http://venissa.it/en/#home

And, I recommend going to the opera. It is considered one of the world's great opera houses.

I'm assuming that you have read John Berendt's book. City of Falling Angels. I am halfway thru it, and I am just in love with Venice. Have a wonderful trip.

Following to get travel tips.

Lucky you!

It has been years since I was there so I don't remember specifics, but I was all over Europe and Venice was far and away my favorite place ever.

Assuming the walking tour you have booked is one that hits the well-known sites, I recommend also going on one of the ghost tours -- not because the ghost stories are so good (they aren't), but because they take you into parts of the city you won't otherwise visit and they occur during the trough of the evening, when there isn't much else going on.

And walk, walk, walk on your own! There is so much to see in such a small place. Because there is no motor traffic, walking is a real pleasure and very relaxing.

I've been there many times and there is nothing or no place that you pick that could be wrong, it's all beautiful. Take in the beauty of St. Marks square and have your meals in local places where the Venetians eat as you get the sense of living there. After you do one side of the Rialto bridge, go over to the other side which used to be the ghetto. Their prices and products are much less expensive and it's interesting to see. Venice suggestions

I agree with Yayagal. It isn't really a place you need to research (except for perhaps restaurants... we enjoyed Cipriani but we did not have a bad meal anywhere). Everywhere you wander will be delight. Buy something from Fortuny and be sure to visit the Venetian papershops for gorgeous stationery and little notebooks. We did the glass blowing in Murano but it is mostly an excuse to shop, which was fine with me.

Before we went...hm, maybe close to 10 years ago now...I rolled my eyes at the thought of even looking at Venetian masks. So trite, so cliche, etc. Well, we found one little mask shop (can't remember the name but it was famous for some reason) and spent forever in there, with our 3 kids, looking at all the masks and choosing one to bring home. It is still hanging prominently on a wall in our entry (it's a rabbit). So don't forget to look in the mask shops. ;)

Otherwise I agree with others who have said to just wander. Some of my favorite memories of that trip involved getting "lost" just walking around and finding lovely surprises at every turn.

Oh, and this isn't everyone's cuppa tea, but we got a kick out of the pigeons in St Marks square. I have the best pics of my tiny 6 year old with a pigeon standing on her head. Now, if a Boston pigeon landed on her head it would be a whole 'nother story, but in Venice...

Get a week long vaporetto pass and that way you can hop on and hop off. We were there for 3 or 4 days and it was really handy. Also, make sure you see the Doge Palace. It has a ceiling that is almost as good as The Sistine Chaple.

Check out the Jewish ghetto and the NYT 2016 article. The English word for ghetto derived from the Venice ghetto.

I spoke with the Rabbi of the Temple and the story behind it was fascinating.

I really enjoyed the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and that will take you a little bit out of the very mainest main touristy area. I didn't have time but if I go back I will definitely go to a classical music concert in the beautiful old churches. What better way to hear Vivaldi than his hometown?

I really enjoyed walking around in the early morning and observing life in the city including the garbage removal boats.

My advice would be to get up extra early at least one morning as the shopkeepers are accepting deliveries, throwing open their shutters, washing the streets, and opening their stores. You'll be the only ones out and about and it is truly magical.

You mentioned you want to visit Murano. You may be aware of this, but it's a good idea to avoid the "free" trips to Murano. You'll end up at a glass studio that will try to strongarm you into buying something expensive, and it can be hard to escape without being rude. If you don't buy anything, and possibly if you do, the free ride does not include the trip back. Also, don't wear expensive jewelry when you go! Just take the vaporetto to the island.

Read up on all the tourist semi-scams that go on -- sadly, they have reached their highest form in Venice. For example, if you take the water taxi back to the airport, there will sometimes be a van waiting at the dock to take you and your luggage to the terminal, which you naturally assume is paid for the by the water taxi pilot, since he is putting your luggage into it. Wrong. You will pay extra for it. Or at least you will, if you don't ask first. Always ask first before accepting anything.

Try taking a traghetto; these gondola-type vessels in which passengers stand cross the Grand Canal (their routes are marked on city maps). Visit the fish market (a must-see, even if you don't intend to buy). The Jewish ghetto is a highlight. So is the tiny museum Scuola Dalmata dell Santi Giorgio e Triffon--all paintings are by Carpaccio; many depicting St. George and the Dragon. When we went with our children, we made a game of finding figures of lions throughout the city. A good mask shop is the Mondo Nuovo, Rio Terra Canal near Campo Santa Marguerita, Dosoduro. And we searched for and found the statues of Caga libri (the book pooper) and Cane captive (bad dog). We were once there during Easter week with our children when they were young--it was a fabulous vacation.